The present invention relates to a disk drive for reading and/or writing information from/on a disk storage medium such as a CD or a DVD. More particularly, the present invention relates to a disk drive of a so-called “slot-in” type into/from which the user can externally load and automatically unload a disk directly.
A conventional disk drive includes a tray for use to load and unload a disk into/from the disk drive. In operating a disk drive of this type, the user gets the tray drawn out, mounts a disk on the tray, and then gets the tray inserted along with the disk, thereby loading the disk into the disk drive.
Another conventional disk drive requires the user to open and close a disk loading/unloading lid or cover to mount and dismount a disk directly on/from a turntable.
On the other hand, a disk drive of a different type, having a mechanism that does not require the user to get the tray drawn out and inserted or open and close the lid, has also been gradually popularized to meet the convenience of the user more fully. A disk drive of a slot-in type (also called a “slot-loading type”) is one of such disk drives including a mechanism like this.
A slot-in type disk drive includes a slot for use to load and unload a disk into/from the disk drive. When the user inserts a disk halfway into the slot, the disk drive automatically pulls the disk in and mounts it on the turntable thereof. Also, in accordance with a user's instruction, the disk loaded is automatically ejected through the slot. For example, the disk drive disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Publication No. 7-220353 includes transport rollers with an axial length greater than the regular disk diameter and a fixed guide. The disk drive sandwiches the inserted disk between the transport rollers and the guide, and transports the disk by turning the rollers.
Recently, various electronic appliances are increasingly required to further reduce their sizes and thicknesses. To meet these demands, a disk drive as a peripheral unit to be built in these appliances also needs to further reduce its size and thickness.
The conventional slot-in type disk drive, however, needs the transport rollers having the axial length greater than the disk diameter. Accordingly, the disk drive of that type should have an increased width. Also, the guide to be disposed over the upper surface of the disk inserted should have a constant thickness to define the disk transporting direction precisely. Furthermore, a damper for holding the disk thereon should also be disposed over the upper surface of the disk inserted. Thus, it is difficult to further reduce the size and thickness of the conventional slot-in type disk drive.